In 1986, Joe Warren Cormier appeared on the Cajun radio scene with “Tit Bec Do,” a song he had written and recorded with some of his musician friends. The recording was then picked up by Swallow Records and the song has since become a classic Cajun hit, having been recorded by both Cajun and Zydeco artists.

Joe Warren was born and raised in the rural area of Church Point, Louisiana, a community that has produced many legendary Cajun musicians. He didn’t discover his musical talent until he returned home from military service. He started dating this lovely Cajun girl and she and her parents loved to go to the Cajun dances. It was then that he got “hooked” on the music and the girl! He married his sweetheart and picked up his dad’s old accordion and learned to play it.

Joe Warren enjoys playing Cajun music, as well as composing new Cajun French songs, as part of his effort to help preserve the Cajun language and culture. He says that being a “pure Cajun” and living a Cajun way of life helps him to write his songs. He extends special thanks to all the DJs who helped make “T Bec Do” his first hit Cajun song, and also extends thanks to all fellow musicians who perform the song at their dances.

I’ve been fond of Cajun music for a long time, and one of these days I’ll write more about my memories of Cajun Country, that area of Southern Louisiana famous for bayous, music, and larrupin’ good food. But my purpose today is to review a (sort of) new album from Cajun performer Joe Warren Cormier and his guys.

Pure Cajun, due out soon on the Swallow Records label is actually a re-mastered version of an original album from 1990. And although I’m not going to reminiscence today about my time in Cajun Country, I am going to draw on that experience for my first comment about this album. Cormier and the boys offer exactly the kind of music you’ll hear in the best of the Cajun dance halls, complete with squeeze-boxes and fiddles. All that’s really missing is a mob of happily perspiring dancers, swinging around and having the time of their lives.

As the album title suggests, Cormier is pure Cajun, growing up as part of the culture and its music. (He even married a Cajun girl!) Professionally, he first gained notice back in the 1980s when he had a regional hit with one of his own compositions, “T Bec Do”, a song that has since been covered by various other artists.

That tune is included here, as is another popular Cajun classic, “Jolie Blonde,” a song that has been in the repertoire of every Cajun musician for many years. Cormier and his guys do just fine singing about the legendary “pretty blonde,” as they do with all the songs here. There are a few instrumentals – one I especially liked was “Pop Rouge” – but most of the cuts feature Cormier’s strong, clear voice, interspersed with instrumental passages.

If you’re new to Cajun music in general, I should mention that in any collection of songs most of the singing is in French, and that’s the case here too. However, my lack of French has never interfered with my enjoyment of the genre and I’d be willing to bet that you’ll be the same. If you do speak French, so much the better!

Listen to some clips and see if you can resist the music -betcha can’t.